


Lost Keys and Hidden Hearts

by GaeilgeRua



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Challenge Response, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 14:29:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8449945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaeilgeRua/pseuds/GaeilgeRua
Summary: His silent contemplation is broken by a young girl.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in response to a photo prompt on The Death Eater Express group on Facebook. Thank you to Diane for her beta work and title suggestion!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable from the HP world, it all belongs to JK.
> 
> Prompts:  
> 1\. Thorfinn Rowle  
> 2\. The Leaky Cauldron  
> 3\. A Lost Key  
> 4\. Halloween  
> 5\. The Levicorpus Spell  
> 6\. Fred and/or George Weasley

The first time he met her was in The Leaky Cauldron. He had just returned from a business trip to China and he was waiting for his younger sister to meet him for a late lunch.

"Excuse me."

He looked up at the sound of a small voice. A young girl in Muggle clothes stood on the far side of his table. She was a tiny thing with large front teeth and hair that his familiar would find most comfortable, it was so bushy. A dark blond eyebrow rose.

He didn't say anything and waited for her to continue.

"Can you help me? I'm looking for a lost key. I sat here a couple hours ago and that's the last time I remember seeing it." She looked quite hopeful.

He was tempted to sneer and hiss at her, telling her that he didn't have time for her drama or a little Mudblood that lost her way, when she blinked slowly. She turned sorrowful dark brown eyes his direction.

"I've asked the bartender, but he said no one had turned in a key." She motioned to where he sat. "I was sitting right there, so it might be next to you?"

When he still didn't move, she frowned. "Please? Can you look?"

He clenched his jaw and looked to his right, catching sight of a small key wedged in the back edge of the booth. "What is it for?" His low voice was barely audible in the quite din of the pub.

"Oh, it's part of my Halloween costume my parents' bought me."

He reached for the key in question. "First year?"

She shook her head, sending long, dark brown curls flying around her. "Second."

He held the key out to her. "Here." She reached for it, but he pulled his hand back a little. "I hope you'll keep a better eye on your heart than you do this key. We wouldn't want the wrong hands finding it."

She stood for a few moments, digesting what he just said. A frown pulled on her lips. Clearly, she thought his comment was rather strange, but she replied, "I'll make sure to keep it locked and hidden."

He extended his arm again, holding out the key again. "Be sure that you do."

She grasped the key and slowly pulled it back to her. "Thank you, Mr…"

He looked amused at her uncertainty. "Rowle, Thorfinn Rowle."

"My name is Hermione Granger." She tipped her head down. "Thank you again, Mr Rowle."

He remained silent, knowing he'd said too much already.

After a few moments of silence, her small smile fell and she turned away. Her farewell lost in the noise as she walked over to a pair of redheaded twins.

He raised an eyebrow as he saw one of the boys say something about using Levicorpus on him. The other twin nodding in agreement.

Hermione shook her head.

Both boys frowned at her response and looked over their shoulders to glare at him.

His eyes narrowed as he realised that he would have to keep his eye on those two.

Thorfinn frowned to himself, he honestly didn't know why he said what he said to the young witch, but what's done is done. His eyes fell closed and he sighed in resignation. Maybe she'd forget about the blond stranger that said even stranger things to her once the school year started.

Someone stepped into his line of sight and interrupted his thoughts.


End file.
